U.S. Says Snowden Wouldn't Face Death Penalty

7/26/2013 12:32PM

U.S. authorities said NSA leaker Edward Snowden wouldn’t face the death penalty—and promised he wouldn’t be tortured—in a letter hoping to persuade Russia not to grant him asylum or refugee status. Devlin Barrett reports. Photo: AP.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... the U S style watch a war seek the death penalty for an insanely can and with Snowden ... will have back and mall right here right now on Lunch bright afternoon and welcome I'm Simon Constable in full Wendy ... WSJ's ... Devlin Barrett joins us now from our bureau in Washington with more on this news from ... the Justice Department ... Devlin others the last leg on down from Eric holder to Russia aam semi one seek the death penalty right ... great Simon and what what they're laying out as they're trying to convince Russia not to grant Edward Snowden any form of temporary asylum ... and awaited part of the way they're trying to convince them to do that is ... saying look we will not seek the death penalty against and even if we added death penalty eligible charged it against him at some point ... you will still not seek the death penalty ... and we will also not torture him and we will put into the normal U S courts is ... to animate our call the attorney general I'm saying this ... now ... the the on the second page of the last eight says Mr. this town will not be tortured torch is unlawful in the United States ... I'm yet to watch itself aam in the US has undergone a son of a redefinition of of the last decade or so wet ... things that might have been considered took a before and are considered now ... you think this is gonna be particularly convincing it to the Russians ... I'd I think look to them ... the re The part about the definition of torture is one in which ... Eric holder and the Obama missed ration have been very clear that they think the things that were done under the Bush adminstration were torture ... so I think one holders says he will not be tortured ... that's taken as a as a pretty wide includes a statement ... what's interesting to me about the letters morte your plan which is ... you're saying these things now in a normal exhibition process these would certainly very basic and obvious points to make by the US ... this known cases of charge and everyone is so suspicious of everyone else ... it's it's interesting to me that you have to lay this all out and such ... their bones terms ... just to try and get to the next step and is Russia believe what I'd I think there's a lot of suspicion on both sides of this I've I've read the rest of the other thing is that some ... I'm ... Edward Snowden saying he comps traveling outbound travel documents and is a great line in this letter signed ... not true he's eligible for a limited ability to pass the board could retire represented the US ... no one place that that would snuggle Monica writes ... and this interval is shaky ... yet it is I mean there's an element of vintners our time there are elements of farce to this whole case right ... and and I think that's that that ... particular certain unique in on in a weird way of bureaucratic way of describing his ability to travel ... aam but it's been it's again it's part of this dance and you know you've taken the extradition process which is supposed to be criminal process ... and bases in the case of Mr Snowdon it's become very very political they're being very loaded ... so they're basically trying to put diplomatic and political pressure on Russia ... to send him home essentially ... and so far it doesn't look like brushes particularly interested in forcing Mr Snowdon do that ... interesting stuff ... great story thank you my much Diamondback complex and time ...